


Hunted by the Dark

by ShadowAshuri



Category: Loki: Agent of Asgard
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-14 10:08:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14767571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowAshuri/pseuds/ShadowAshuri
Summary: Sarandi, the warrior princess of the light elves, is stripped of her home and her right to the throne when Malekeith corrupts the mind of the Queen, invades Alfheim and takes all of its resources for his own. Fearing the events of her father’s death to happen all over again by the hands of the same enemy, she retreats to Asgard. There, she confides in the council of Odin and her friends in the royal family and the bond with her best friend Loki grows ever stronger. Romance sparks and an adventure awaits as long time allies are reunited once more; to dwell together in times of peace and to fight alongside each other in times of strife as Sarandi seeks to take back her home from the dark elves.





	1. Old Memories

**Author's Note:**

> *Note: Sarandi’s story takes place before, during, in-between and after the events of the Thor and Avengers movies (focusing mainly on Thor’s storyline) Forgive me as this is my first fan-fiction. I do not know all of the rules, but I always give credit where credit is due for any scenes, ideas and quotes that interweave into my story. I only take credit for the creation of Sarandi’s character and any new events that do not take place in the Marvel Movies. I give credit to Marvel and the creation of their characters, locations, ideas and events that I place Sarandi in that already exist within the Marvel cinematic universe (I do not read or have read any of the comics so I have absolutely no idea what events take place within them). I hope you enjoy!*

The sun shone bright and gloriously as Loki opened his eyes. Mounted horseback, he tried to ignore the slight feeling of his stomach churning as it always did after Heimdall granted him passage through the Bifrost. He raised his head and looked upon the realm of Alfheim, home of the light elves. He never got tired of its beauty, only rivaling that of Asgard. The Bifrost had landed him at the far end of the Queen’s Road, which lead straight to the capital city Ljosalfgard, the great light castle in the center of the kingdom. Built into the mountainside, Ljosalfgard stood as the highest structure in the entire realm. It shined so brightly at night that you can see it among the stars all the way from Asgard. The Queen’s Road, about a mile long in length, leads straight to Ljosalfgard’s front door where sentries stand guard to Queen Aelsa and Princess Sarandi.  
He was here to deliver an invitation to them both on Asgard’s behalf; one that he was particularly hoping the princess would oblige to. Geared in his full ceremonial armor; breastplate, shoulder plates and his magnificent helmet that resembled the devil with its long golden horns, he whipped his green cloak around him and dismounted his horse.  
“Come on Shadow, I will give you a rest of bearing my weight old friend.”  
Shadow snorted in embarrassment as he always served his master no matter what the purpose. Loki cocked his head to the side and gave Shadow a stern look.  
“Did you just get smart with me?” He asked sincerely  
Shadow nodded his head in agreement to his master’s question. Loki only smirked and reached into a pouch for some oats to give him. The horse’s old age was starting to catch up with him and it was heavily burdened on Loki’s mind. They had served together in many battles over the years and he had seen his fair share. Loki extended his hand out to feed Shadow his treat in which he most certainly enjoyed.  
He just stood there watching the horse eat, admiring the fine black color of his hair and mane. He whispered to him “Not even my magic can prolong your life. I need you by my side as long as possible. So take it easy for me ok?”  
As Shadow finished, Loki checked the rest of his belongings. The invitation was snugly secure in the other pouch he had tied to Shadow’s saddle as well as another small gift he was carrying. He glanced back over at Shadow, hearing him chew loudly and spreading the crumbs of the oats all over the ground. Shadow just stared back at him.  
“Are you quite finished? Let’s not litter all over Alfheim’s beautiful sidewalks, shall we? Come on now, we don’t have all day.” Loki jokingly said with a small laugh.  
Shadow let out a small neigh and snorted again. He loved to mess with him when he was behaving like this, all lovestruck and in another world.  
“I’m kidding! Jeez!”-Loki stated, apologizing over and over. Shadow nodded in forgiveness, he couldn’t stand upsetting Loki, but he had heard him talk about nothing else but coming here to Alfheim for the past several days, and quite frankly, he was over it already.  
He took Shadow by the reins and started down the Queen’s Road. The air was so pure, and the trees were so tall that some of them made a canopy over the road that blocked out the sunlight. Some of these tress were part of the Enchanted Forest, which spread over many parts of Alfheim. As he walked with Shadow down the dirt road, he could see deer playing in the distant pastures. There was every animal here that you can think of; from unicorns to pixies to riding cats to mermaids. There were even some rumors of dragons roaming about this realm, but Loki had never seen one. He had heard stories of their greatness; how muscular and big they were that they even stood higher than the capital city, how their wings spanned hundreds of feet wide and how their talons and teeth were longer and sharper than any sword. He would love to see one some day.  
They continued down the road, the brightness of the sun switching places with the darkness of the shade as they listened to the birds singing. A falcon hovered above them in the sky. It screeched a few times which caused Loki to look up. He smiled a grin and held out his arm to the bird as it perched gracefully.  
“Zephyr, how are you my friend?”  
The falcon let out another screech in reply as he spread out his wings and showed them off.  
“You have grown since I last saw you. So handsome, look at these feathers growing so nicely.” Loki stroked the bird gently on his chest and admired the different shades of brown and gold feathers that covered Zephyr’s figure.  
“I have to learn to disguise myself as someone different when you are around, you ruin my surprise visits too much. Did you already tell the princess I was coming?” Loki asked Zephyr.  
He knew that the bird was somewhat of a guardian of the realm, reporting just about anything and everything unusual that occurred to Sarandi herself.  
The proud falcon cocked his head to the side and stared back  
“There’s a good bird. Keep it a secret this time. I will make it up to you later, I promise.”  
Zephyr clicked his beak and let out a peep or two before pecking Loki on the cheek for a bit of fun. He laughed and lifted his arm and let Zephyr take off and resume his scouting in the skies above.  
Loki and his noble steed approached the city gates of Ljosalfgard. As he passed through, he stopped at the stables to transfer the care of Shadow to the horse keepers there to let him rest from the journey. He made sure to empty the saddle of the invitation and the small gift he brought with him. He stashed them both away in the pocket of his green cloak. He double checked his armor and gear, making sure his daggers were mounted on his belt on his right side and arsenal of throwing knives on his left. Not that he couldn’t summon them in a second’s notice with his magic, but ceremonially to look professional he kept them visible at his side. He made his way across the courtyard to the palace door.  
Two Alfheim sentries stood guard at the door fo the castle. Dressed fully in white armor, finely crafted helmets bearing white feathers upon their heads and their swords standing tall before their figure, Loki approached them respectfully.  
“I am Loki of Asgard and I have come bearing invitation to her grace Queen Aelsa and her royal highness princess Sarandi.”  
One of the guards received his declaration and granted him passage. “Welcome my price of Asgard. You may enter. Queen Aelsa is waiting for you.”  
Loki nodded to the guards, stood tall and walked into the great halls of the castle. Great pillars of white lines both sides of the hall as he progressed into the throne room. His boots clicked walking the polished floor, and his cape dragged behind him as he passed the guards that stood at attention every few meters til he reached the throne of Alfheim and stood before Aelsa. He removed his helmet, let his jet black shoulder-length hair fall and tucked it under his one arm, bowes his head and bent the knee respectfully to his queen.  
“Loki, my young prince. So good of you to come.”  
Loki lifted his head and stared upon the beauty of Queen Aelsa. Her fine features denied her of ancient age. Her face held the perfect shape as her white hair fell far beneath her waist and a golden headdress sat upon her head with jewels dangling from it. She wore a marvelous golden gown that trailed behind her on the floor as she rose from her throne to greet him. Her blue eyes were like ice as she stared sternly at her guest. Loki had not seen her gaze like that before but nonetheless, her kind demeanor still came through with her smile. It was as if some part of her was trapped inside yearning to break free of pain and sadness, but still, her kind soul spoke soft words. She reached her hand out to him. He took her hand and kissed it lightly before rising back to his feet.  
“My queen Aelsa.”  
“Tell me, how are you? It’s been a while.”  
“I am well your grace. I seem happiest when the nine realms are at some sort of peace. It is never easy, but I try my hardest.” Loki said truthfully.  
“Loki, as one of the finest sorcerers and warriors in all of the nine realms, I doubt it is hard for you to keep the peace.” Aelsa responded.  
“You flatter me your grace, you are always too kind with words. It is only by the help of the other great warriors of Asgard that the central kingdom is able to keep the peace. What about you? How are you holding up?” Loki asked.  
“Well, there is no conflict or uprising here so I guess my rule has been somewhat effective as of late, it has been hard for me without my husband.” She said sadly.  
Loki acknowledged her sadness respectfully as she continued.  
“But I have the counsel of Odin and the rest of Asgard. Loki, you and your family have always been our closest allies when it comes to hardship across the realms and we are ever grateful for it. I just wish we could repay the favors.”  
Loki interrupted her...  
“There is no need my queen. You have always been kind and King Ardreth has always been wise to lend his aid to Asgard when called upon. You have always treated us as one of your own.”  
He tried to be encouraging and tried to help her break a smile by reminding her of all the good things Alfheim’s kingdom has done for the good of the nine realms. For he did not come bearing sad news. At last, a small grin made its way across her face.  
“Thank you for your kind words Loki. Tell me, what brings you all the way to Alfheim?”  
He reached into his cloak and pulled out the small parcel he was carrying and handed it to her.  
“Your grace, I formally bring invitation to yourself and the princess to attend Thor’s coronation ceremony.”  
“Oh, that is wonderful news. Odin is very wise and he has raised his sons well. But he is about as ancient as the nine realms themselves, even he cannot live forever. It is about time he has chosen one of you to defend the peace. This is a very happy occasion!” She had just finished reading the invitation when she looked up and glanced at Loki. “But you do not seem happy my prince?”  
Loki tried to hide his disappointment, but it was inevitable that he would be upset after all of his years training alongside his brother and knowing in his heart that Thor would always be the one to ascend to the Asgard throne no matter what he did. Thor had the looks, the muscles and the charm.  
“Don’t fret my child.” Aelsa told him truthfully. “Thor may be Odin’s firstborn son and the first heir to the throne, but who will he look to for counsel when he needs it most? Your brother may have the looks of a king, but you have the smarts.” Aelsa placed her fingers under his chin and lifted his face up to look at hers. “We all know Thor to be reckless sometimes. You two have a closer bond than anyone I know. You are opposites, you complete each other and are both two parts of one person. He may sit on the throne of Asgard one day, but you will both lend your talents to defend the peace for years to come.”  
“Again, my queen, you always flatter me with your kind words. You always had a way of seeing things that I couldn’t. Besides Frigga, I always saw you as a second mother.” Loki responded as he bowed again to her.  
Aelsa smiled and summoned her captain of the queen’s guard to her. She turned to Loki after. “I assume you wish to deliver this invitation to my daughter as well?”  
“Yes your grace, if that is alright with you.”  
“Very well. I am not sure where she is currently but I have a feeling you know where to look. Sometimes you know her better than I do.”  
“Thank you my queen for your kindness and hospitality as always. I hope to see you at the coronation.” Loki said as he bowed again and turned to leave the throne room.  
He wondered down the white marble hallways and corridors until he came to the hall of personal quarters. He knew his way around even though it had been a while since he was last here. It was like his second home in a way. He approached Sarandi’s room as he remembered how he, Thor and the princess trained here many times when they were young.  
He stood in the entrance to her room. There were no doors in the palace as all of the quarters were open rooms that blended together with the rest of the castle. The pale colored curtains that concealed the doorway blew in the wind as Loki looked across the room to the balcony where the sun was shining through. He quickly changed his appearance from his ceremonial armor to his usual black leather and black coat lined with green. He stepped inside slowly and knocked against the side wall.  
“Andi?” He asked, directing his voice toward the silence.  
There was no response so he took a few more steps softly as to not cause alarm. He glanced over towards the bed to make sure the princess wasn’t asleep, but he did not find her there; just neatly folded sheets and the canopy drapes tied closest to the four corners of the bed frame. A low growl startled him and he looked over towards its direction and found Murdoch, Sarandi’s wild pet wolf, staring at him from the place where he lay on the marble floor. As soon as Murdoch recognized him, he stopped and just watched the new visitor closely as he made his way across the room. Loki ran his fingers over the bed as he walked by it. Her black hooded cape lay on top, the one she wore pretty much everywhere she went when she wasn’t home or was granted the freedom of wearing anything other than her best for royal meetings or parties. He came across her nightstand next; a small wooden piece that held a few books on it from the castle library and a picture of the two of them together that a citizen of Midgard had taken. He picked up the photograph, Loki had cast a small bit of magic on it and animated the shot to make it more memorable. The two of them shared a glance at each other and smiled before turning their faces to the camera. Loki remembered that day exactly. It was Sarandi’s first and only time that she had been to Midgard. When they were both young, they had accompanied the Asgardians and the Light Elves together to establish a new treaty after so many years, as was the duty of the royal families to renew their relationship occasionally to keep the peace. While there, she had seen people taking photos with a camera and thought the device so fascinating, so Loki had arranged to have someone take a photo of the two of them. He had it printed and framed and given to her as a souvenir to take back with her to Alfheim.  
He knelt down in front of Murdoch to pet him.  
“How are you boy? It’s been a while.”  
Murdoch sniffed his hand carefully then allowed Loki to pet him on the head as he welcomed the attention gratefully. After stroking Murdoch’s soft grey and white fur a few more times, Loki went to stand but stopped cold when he heard the unsheathing of a sword and felt the blade of it pressed softly against his collarbone.  
He dared not move.


	2. Chapter 2: Heir of Alfheim

“Who is this handsome young prince that has wondered into my bed chambers without permission and has tamed my wolf?”  
Loki smiled and lifted his hands into plain sight. Slowly, he turned. Standing there, sword still pointed right at him was Princess Sarandi, heir to Alfheim, and one of the finest warriors in all of the nine realms in both combat and magic. Her long white hair fell halfway down her back and it was braided from both sides meeting in the back; her pointed ears and small golden crown showed gloriously.   
“Only a humble Asgardian asking forgiveness of her majesty.” Loki replied sincerely.  
She narrowed her eyes and stared him down.  
“And why should I forgive you? You, who failed to come visit me for, what has it been, three years now?”   
Loki bit his lower lip and lowered his hands. He thought about his next words carefully, he was pretty sure she was kidding around but he would rather not take his chances on someone he knew and trained alongside with all his life.  
“Three years is a blink of an eye in the life of an elf, whereas for me, it seemed like a lifetime has gone by.”   
Sarandi smirked, she tried to stay serious but she just couldn’t anymore. She lowered her sword.   
“You always had a way with words, especially when it came to excuses.”   
“I try...” Loki responded proudly.  
She turned around, sheathed her sword, took her bow and quiver full of arrows and laid them down on the bed behind her. Clad in her full armor, she wore golden vambraces with black gloves. Her armor was in two pieces, a single top piece that covered her chest area and wrapped around to cover her upper back and formed proud broad shoulder pieces in the front. The other piece was sort of like an armored skirt with lighter armored leggings underneath. She wore a pair of light brown colored boots that came halfway up her shins for the finishing touch. The metal surface of her gear was covered in silver and a soft green color and left her stomach completely exposed, but it suited her perfectly.   
“Have you been hunting?” He asked patiently  
“Not today, no. The hunters do their job well enough to provide food for the kingdom. Alfheim has always been plentiful in its resources, there is always enough to go around. But I do like to practice my skills occasionally.” She replied  
She paused before she spoke again. She seemed troubled.  
“The reason I wear my full gear when I am outside the castle grounds is because I haven’t been feeling quite at ease or at peace as I normally do. It just seems the atmosphere of Alfheim is stressed. Not greatly...it still feels peaceful a lot of the time but every now and then I can feel this slight difference. It’s hard to explain. I may be young for an elf, but I can still sense things that aren’t right.”  
“Have you being seeing visions of this uneasiness?” Loki asked.  
“I have, but I can’t quite see it all yet, just bits and pieces that make no sense to me. It’s frustrating! I have been stuck in this castle for the past few years now with nothing but the time to refine and practice my magic. My combat and magic skills are not the problem, it’s my visions that bother me...I feel like no matter how much I train, the visions are never clear.” Sarandi’s words seemed to trail off in the breeze, but Loki was listening closely.   
“Andi, you have grown so much. Your father taught you everything he knew. And my mother, you know how proud she is of you. Whenever we trained together, she always thought so highly of you for learning so quickly. But this natural gift that you have, its going to take a lot more time to master. Visions are powerful, not many beings have this ability. It is quite unique. You just have to give it time to grow.” He responded.   
“I know. I just feel like I am stuck in a cage, unable to go anywhere.” she said sadly  
“And for good reason. You will be ruler of this realm someday. Unfortuantely, that means learning all of the royal duties that go along with it. You will be a great queen Sarandi. You are so dedicated to your people and your education. For my situation, Thor has first claim to the throne, so I don’t have to worry about it as much.”   
“I wish I had your freedom.” She confessed.  
She turned back to face Loki and practically jumped into him and latched her arms around his neck, he caught her just in time so she didn’t fall.   
“I am flattered you decided to so graciously disarm yourself before attacking me with a hug...” he said jokingly.  
“Where have you been? I miss having our talks and someone to vent my frustrations to.”   
Loki blushed and his face went beat red. “Keeping the peace of nine realms isn’t exactly an easy task my lady. But I am here now. Let’s get away for a little while...I wanna hear all about it!” he said with excitement.   
Sarandi grew the biggest smile across her face, a sight Loki had not seen in a long time; even longer than the three years since he had last seen her personally. The princess quickly gathered her weapons and re-equipped herself. Loki of course didn’t need anything, he was always geared with everything he needed.   
Murdoch watched them as they got ready to leave. Sarandi came to him and gave him a nice rub on the back of his ears.   
“Watch over mother for me, I will be back in a little bit.” She told him.   
Murdoch got up from his bed and did as she commanded him. Loki and Sarandi followed him out of the room and into the white corridors of the castle. He parted ways with them when they reached the throne room. There, Murdoch settled himself beside Aelsa on the floor next to the throne. The queen waved to Sarandi, and she waved back before she and Loki took off into the courtyard. They retrieved their horses at the stable, Shadow and Sierra, and went riding beyond the walls of the castle.   
After a few minutes of silence and just enjoying each other’s company, Loki spoke...”I have missed this Andi, it’s been so long. I hope you forgive me for not coming to visit you sooner.”  
“Don’t worry silly, I understand. No forgiveness needed.” Sarandi responded.  
“I am just glad I was able to surprise you. Zephyr actually kept his beak shut for once. I told him I would give him a treat later.” Loki admitted  
Loki noticed Sarandi laughing silently to herself.   
“What’s so funny?” he asked.  
“Loki, do you honestly think I didn’t know you were coming? Zephyr is sworn to tell me everything he knows. He tricked you good.”   
Loki was beside himself.   
“Remind me never to bribe that bird again...”   
Sarandi couldn’t help but to burst out laughing. Loki didn’t find it funny at first but fell victim to her smile and joined her. Sarandi waited about a minute, then when she saw that Loki was out of breath she took off on her horse.   
“Race ya!” She yelled back at him.   
“Hey! That’s not fair!” Loki yelled back at her.   
“Since when do you play fair Mr. God of Mischief? You could never beat me even if you were playing fair!”  
They continued riding along the Queen’s Road, the sun peaking in and out of the thick over-hanging branches from the Enchanted Forest. They eventually went off the road and onto the the grassy path that ran along the Chardonnay River. The river came from the top of a small mountain, not the tallest, but tall enough to overlook the entire kingdom of Alfheim. Their noble steeds carried them along until they couldn’t continue further on horseback. They dismounted in the shaded clearing and let the horses drink from the river. The water was peaceful enough here but it did start to flow faster and stronger than it did at the bottom of the path. Here, the two of them peered out beyond the trees to see some of the view, but not all of it. It was a lot better farther up, where they would have to climb on foot. Loki tended to Shadow to make sure the ride wasn’t too rough on him while Sarandi stroked Sierra’s mane as she drank from the river.   
“Do you remember what you promised me, when my father fell all those years ago?” She asked him suddenly.  
“That I would do everything in my power to help you avenge your father’s death. Yes, of course.” He answered her.   
“My father fought to keep this realm as peaceful as possible. He was selfless. He never saw himself higher than that of the townsfolk. He always walked among them, made sure they had everything they needed, helped them whenever he could. This was his passion when he was outside of the castle walls. Even the animals here respected him too. He saw the realms and its inhabitants as one flesh, living together in peace and harmony. This is what I want Loki. This is why I walk exactly in my father’s footsteps.”   
Loki stood in silence, listened to her and gave her his full attention. He knew her too well to know when she was being serious and sincere and this was one of those moments.   
“Everything fell apart when Malekeith came and slaughtered so many of our people. His evil went unchecked, for no reason at all, he experienced enjoyment in other people’s suffering.”   
She paused. Loki looked over at her and saw a tear run down her face, but he didn’t interrupt her.   
“My father couldn’t stand to see such evil. You and Thor had brought Asgard’s finest warriors to help, but he went in against Malekeith on his own...and I never saw him again, save for the beautiful funeral that Alfheim gave its king.”   
“You should have never experienced such a thing at such a young age.” Loki said to her. He took her and embraced her and he let her cry.   
“My mother was devastated, unsure of what to do, my father slaughtered, my kingdom ruined, my people hurt...” she sobbed.   
He held her closer, and he put his hand over her head and just cradled her as she let her emotions run. After a few minutes, she settled down.   
“Andi, I am so sorry you are still feeling this way and that I haven’t been there for you as much lately. I hate seeing you like this. But you have grown into the most beautiful, most fierce, most magical warrior I know. You have to be strong now, for yourself, for your mother, and for the rest of Alfheim.”   
She looked up at him, eyes full of tears, her face damp from crying, her white hair slightly out of its normal perfection.   
“Tell me exactly what you see when your vision occurs.” He encouraged her.  
She closed her eyes and thought back to the last time she had seen it.  
“I see shadows, darkness, everything is unclear. I hear whispers, I am unable to make them out completely, but it sounds similar to the dialect of the elves, whether the light or dark elves, I do not know. I see my mother in sadness and in insecurity, like she is being held prisoner inside her own body. I see unfamiliar figures walking the castle grounds freely, the light of the kingdom is gone.” Sarandi described her vision as if she was experiencing it all over again.   
She opened her eyes to Loki staring right back at her, intently listening.   
“What you see sounds like a glimpse of the future. I don’t know what it all means, but remember Andi, the future is never set in stone, it is always changing. And I foresee that you will overcome this. Regardless of the outcome, you will still fight for your people no matter what because that is what you do, that is what you mother and father taught you to do, that is what your friends fight for. Sarandi, you are the kind of person who never gives up, you will fight to your last breath for those you love. You will be a great queen someday.”   
“Thanks Loki, that means a lot.” She responded. “Still, I can’t help feeling that Malekeith is behind all of this. Just call it a hunch I guess, I just hope what I see, whatever it means, doesn’t come true.”   
“I hope the same.” He paused as his voice sort of trailed off. He looked at Sarandi nervously, then gently with his hand, took her long white hair and tucked it back behind her ear. “Everything in Alfheim is far too beautiful to see in ruin.”   
She met his gaze for a few seconds, blushed then looked away. She quickly looked back at him and broke the silence.   
“You know you shouldn’t joke about such serious things Loki.”   
“I wasn’t joking. I was being serious.”   
She met his gaze again, tried to keep a straight face, but then she started laughing.  
“What?” He asked. “Clearly I missed the joke.”   
“That was my point, you are always too serious all the time.”   
This time, he blushed slightly.   
“Comeon, I want to show you something.” She said suddenly.  
She tied up the horses, took Loki by the hand and led him up the rocks and rough terrain right next to the river. Her feet were swift and quick climbing up the rocks while Loki struggled to keep up. As they climbed higher, they started to hear the loud sound of rushing water. When they reached the top, they stood next to Honeywine falls, the water source that fed into the Chordonnay River. They climbed a little bit more to reach the top, which turned out to be the peak of the mountain from which the waterfall flowed. The view was magnificent! Even though it wasn’t the tallest mountain in the realm, all of Alfheim was visible from it.   
“I present to you, the best view in the entire kingdom!”   
“Andi, this is beautiful!” Loki said as he looked down upon the valley. The kingdom of Ljosalfgard was fully visible. Along the kingdom’s borders ran the Enchanted Forest, the Queen’s Road, the Lake of Light sat behind the castle along with the Gardens of the Fay and the Sea Marmora.  
“I come up here a lot. It gives me a nice full view of the castle and everything going on inside and outside its walls.”   
“Thank you for bringing me here, I always knew Alfheim was beautiful, but this gives a whole new meaning to it and a whole new perspective.” Loki paused a moment before continuing. “When you see sights such as this, it makes you forget about all the other things going on across the nine realms.”   
“It really does. But this is what I fight for, this is what I want to be Queen of, and this is what I want to protect for all of my days.” Sarandi admitted proudly.  
“A noble cause for a noble warrior such as yourself. Speaking of becoming Queen...” Loki started to say as he reached into his pocket. “I almost forgot, part of the reason I came here was to formally invite you to Thor’s coronation.”   
He handed her the invitation.   
“Your mother is invited too of course. I already gave her the invitation before I came looking for you.”   
“Loki Odinson, are you asking me on a date? Such as what they call it on Midgard.” She asked him.  
“Heavens no.” He said jokingly. “I am inviting you, as my best friend, to attend my brother’s acceptance of the throne of Asgard. There will be a great feast, parties, dancing...”   
Sarandi interrupted him. “You are so asking me on a date...”  
Loki couldn’t help but smile.   
“I don’t know where you learn these things, but I have never heard of such a term...think whatever you want. But I hope you come all the same.”   
“See there’s that not-so-seiousness that I have missed.”   
They both shared another laugh, exchanged stories and watched over the activity of Alfheim until the sun started to set. They started to make their way back to the castle almost as soon as nightfall was upon them. They both dismounted their horses to exchanges their goodbyes.   
“Thank you Loki for coming all this way to invite me. I had a wonderful day, so much better than what my days have been lately. Your presence here was a much needed distraction.”   
“It is always a pleasure to come see you princess.” He bowed to her. “Again, I am sorry I have been absent as of late.”   
“Don’t be, we are both adults now, we have a lot more going on that we did the last time we saw each other. We both hold so much more responsibility now.”   
“Well, be that as it may, please accept my parting gift.” He said as he reached into cloak and pulled out a little pouch. He untied it, reached inside and pulled out a bracelet.   
“With your permission?” He asked.  
She smiled and nodded. He approached her and took her hand and clipped the bracelet onto her wrist.   
“Loki, its beautiful!” She exclaimed whilst she admired it.   
The bracelet was made up of scales of green, black and gold held together by small chains in a sort of chainmail fashion.   
“I made it myself, forged from pieces of my own armor. I added a little touch of magic to it as well. The bracelet overall is infused with my magic power to help enhance yours should you need to in a tight spot. Also, each individual scale can be used to store some of your own magic. It will take some of your energy away to be able to store your power into each scale, so I advise caution not to do it too much at the same time. Focus on a little bit at a time and let yourself recover in-between. This comes in handy should you ever be in a situation where you become too drained in a long fight and need a short burst of extra energy.” Loki told her with keen detail.   
“Thank you Loki! This will certainly come in handy. I don’t know what else to say, you are so kind.”   
“How about, ‘I will see you at the coronation..’?”   
Sarandi laughed. “I will be there, can’t wait to see Thor and the others, it will be a nice little getaway from everything.”   
“Very well. Until then...”  
Loki bowed to her, got on one knee, took her hand and kissed it gently. “My lady.”  
He smirked, turned around, mounted Shadow and called for Heimdall to open the Bifrost. Sarandi mounted Sierra and watched as Loki disappeared into the essence of the Rainbow. She smiled to herself and recalled the events of the day as she made her way back to the castle.


End file.
